This whole time I’ve been thinking that when people say something like “consciousness arises from matter but then can impact matter,” that they were referring to subjective experience, the internal world or qualia or whichever term. This made no sense to me because I don’t see how the experience of consciousness can affect matter. The more I read through this textbook on DM though, the more it seems like they might mean consciousness as in an intellectual understanding of existence and the environment, is that right? I wish they clarified what they meant by consciousness more in this book.

I’m reading through The Curriculum of Basic Principles of Marxism-Leninism at the moment so I’ve been trying to get my head around this lately. It would be super helpful if someone could, say, talk about some historical political development or some contemporary issue and tell me examples of what an idealist, nondialectical materialist, and dialectical materialist analysis of that issue might look like? Thank you 🙏

sorry if this isn’t the right community but it seemed like it was either here or askchapo and i felt like it was too personal of a question for there.

basically i used to think a lot about how i wish i was born a girl when i was a kid, before i really knew transitioning was an option. more recently the idea resurfaced for a couple of reasons and i think i might want to transition.

but the idea has kind of come up before and it seems my girlfriend and i would break up if that happened. we’ve been going out for 8 years and she’s easily my best friend. i don’t really have a social life outside of that. i try to talk with coworkers or comrades in my org but generally i feel like people act like i’m off putting. tbh i think i might have schizoid personality disorder or something cause i don’t really like interacting with people generally besides my gf. idk i guess i just always pictured myself like doing girly things with my friends but i don’t think like transitioning will suddenly make it so i can connect with people and make friends to go out with. and i don’t even know if i have physical dysphoria so i worry it might not be worth it.

but on the other hand i just read the page in the gender dysphoria bible on biochemical dysphoria and identify with it 100% but it could just be depression bc of some other reason.

i love her so much i don't know if i can even make myself tell her. i think even if i make friends it's not going to be anything like how i feel talking with her. how many of you had a similar decision to make? i don't know what to do

I see this term a lot, people saying "that's just vulgar materialism!" I haven't seen an explanation of what it is yet.

maybe check out this album if you like weatherday. all of their discography is heat basically

Alternatively, should I just focus on getting in shape and get some pepper spray or something?

Listening to Blowback to better understand world events

Listening to Blowback to better understand The Big Lebowski

These are two sequential tracks off an album, the uploader must have liked how they flow together and I do too so I went with that. I've been loving this band recently so I'll probably post some more about them but try to space it out lol.

Especially if you write essays, articles, or video scripts. I am looking into using the zettelkasten system with Obsidian but figuring out a workflow for that seems confusing, especially for historical research.

My parents are both libs but are interested enough in socialism to agree to read a book on the topic with me. Do any of you have a suggestion for a good introduction? I am preferably looking for a relatively modern book with casual language, I was thinking I might use Socialist Reconstruction from the PSL.